Description
Decadent German Erdbeer-Donauwelle Cake is a traditional layered dessert featuring a moist vanilla and chocolate batter base topped with fresh strawberries and cherries. It is layered with a luscious vanilla pudding buttercream and finished with a shiny dark chocolate ganache, delivering a perfect balance of fruity, creamy, and chocolatey flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 250 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 4 large eggs
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 100 ml milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 500 g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 250 g sweet cherries, pitted and halved (optional)
Vanilla Pudding Buttercream
- 500 ml whole milk
- 2 packets vanilla pudding powder (or 60 g cornstarch with sugar and vanilla extract)
- 200 g butter, softened
Chocolate Ganache
- 300 g dark chocolate
- 200 ml heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla sugar or vanilla extract thoroughly for flavor.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition to create a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Combine: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mix to the wet batter, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with the flour mixture, mixing gently after each addition until well combined.
- Divide and Flavor Batter: Split the batter into two equal portions. Leave one portion plain and add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the other, mixing until fully blended.
- Layer Batters: Spread the plain batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Carefully spread the cocoa batter on top, creating two distinct layers.
- Add Fruit: Distribute the halved strawberries and optional cherries evenly over the cocoa layer, pushing them slightly into the batter to help them stay in place during baking.
- Bake Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer in the center; it should come out clean. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool.
- Prepare Vanilla Pudding: While the cake cools, prepare the vanilla pudding according to the packet instructions using 500 ml whole milk. For a homemade version, dissolve cornstarch with a little milk, bring milk and sugar to a boil, add cornstarch mixture, and stir constantly until thickened. Let the pudding cool slightly.
- Make Pudding Buttercream: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the slightly cooled pudding a spoonful at a time, beating continuously until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Spread Buttercream: Spread the pudding buttercream evenly over the cooled cake surface. Place the cake in the refrigerator and allow the buttercream to set for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Chop dark chocolate into small pieces. Gently heat it with heavy cream over low heat in a saucepan, stirring until smooth and melted. Allow the ganache to cool slightly but remain pourable.
- Top with Ganache and Set: Pour the chocolate ganache over the buttercream layer, spreading evenly to cover. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate topping sets firmly.
Notes
- Optional: Include sweet cherries for added flavor and texture, or use only strawberries if preferred.
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled before spreading the buttercream to prevent melting.
- Use good quality dark chocolate for a richer ganache taste.
- Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and layers to set perfectly.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries and fresh cherries for best fruit flavor.